Zinc-Based bioMOF Nanocarrier for Curcumin Release Enables Permeation through Biomimetic Biological Membranes and...

Curcumin (Cur) is a natural polyphenolic compound with significant therapeutic potential, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. However, its clinical application is limited by its low aqueous solubility and low bioavailability. In this study, we developed a biocompatible Zn-based metal-organic framework (bio-MOF) as a nanocarrier for curcumin. The synthesized material was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (P-XRD), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and thermogravimetric analysis (TG/dTG), confirming the stability of the structure and the successful loading of the drug. The system showed a Cur loading efficiency of 75.98 ± 2.65% (n = 3). Cytotoxicity assays were performed in MCF-7 cell lines and demonstrated that the delivery system has a superior effect on reducing cell viability compared to free cur. The release kinetics followed a Ritger-Peppas model (R ² = 0.948), indicating controlled release behavior. In vitro permeation studies revealed that the carrier successfully penetrated the biomimetic barrier and released Cur in the receptor compartment. Finally, through albumin fluorescence quenching analysis, a progressive decrease in fluorescence was observed with a Stern-Volmer constant (K _SV) of 9.4 × 10³ M^-1, indicating a moderate binding affinity and suggesting that the nanocarrier can effectively interact with transport proteins. These findings demonstrate that the bio-MOF platform is a promising strategy to enhance the release and biological interaction of hydrophobic phytochemicals.